Apologize
by Creative Touch
Summary: Ginny cheated on Harry and with nowhere else left to go, he refuges at Ron and Hermione's and into the arms of his best friend. Can they fight the urge and stay friends? Or will love blossom before their eyes? R&R. HHr fic.
1. Chapter One

**Disclaimer: **This is world belongs to JK Rowling; not me. And as much as I would love to own Harry Potter, I unfortunately don't.

**Summery: **Ginny cheated on Harry and with nowhere else left to go, he refuges at Ron and Hermione's and into the arms of his best friend. Can they fight the urge and stay friends? Or will love blossom before their eyes?

**A/N: **_This is just a starting point. Just randomly came to me whilst I was listening to the song on the radio. The plot bunnies came and attacked me and this one just stuck out the most so here it is…

* * *

_

**Apologize**

**Chapter One**

Harry sat on the sofa in the dark, not caring about the thunderstorm that was occurring outside. He was confused, lost for words and was feeling unwanted. He had to come in then, he had to see them together.

Harry wanted to surprise his fiancé for lunch, but he didn't know she was already with someone. He was so happy that she had accepted his proposal and was hoping they can sort out the last minute plans before the wedding in three days time. He was there, ready to surprise her with a picnic and flowers. But he opened the door to reveal his fiancé… kissing another man. Not just any man… her ex-boyfriend.

Both of them were kissing with more passion than she and him could ever have gotten, and both were already half-naked. Harry felt sick to his stomach at the gruesome sight before him and had left just as quietly as he had come. He couldn't get the sight out of his mind and his brain was fogging up with too many questions.

Had she loved him?

How long had it been going on for?

Why didn't she tell him she was unhappy?

Why sneak around behind his back?

Did she even care about him?

He heard a jingle of keys and the unlocking of a door. She came in, her hair wet from the rain but looking smug nonetheless. She flicked on the light switch and jumped seeing the figure on the couch.

'Oh Harry. I didn't see you there. What are you doing sitting in the dark?' Ginny questioned, taking off her coat.

Harry stared at her, no words being able to escape his lips.

_I'm holding on your rope  
Got me ten feet off the ground  
And I'm hearing what you say  
but I just can't make a sound  
__  
_

'Are you OK?' she asked, putting her hand on his shoulder. He shrugged her off which startled her. She sat down next to him and took his hand, massaging it with her own. 'Harry, talk to me.'

'I came to visit you at work today,' he started, moving his hand away from her.

'Oh…' Ginny replied, not liking where the conversation was heading.

'I saw you… with him,' Harry whispered the last part.

'Harry… I… I…'

'How could you? Do I mean nothing to you?' Harry cut her off. Ginny stayed quiet, tears glistening in her eyes.

_You tell me that you need me  
__then you go and cut me down  
but wait... _

'Are you sleeping with him?'

'I… I… I wouldn't say it that way…'

'How would you say it then?' Ginny was silent once more. She looked at him with pleading eyes. Tears clung onto her eyelashes and were threatening to fall. 'That's all I needed to hear'

'Harry, I'm sorry,' her bottom lip trembled with the words. Harry felt his face grow hot with anger.

_You tell me that you're sorry  
__didn't think I'd turn around and say.. _

'Harry, I'm sorry. I'm beyond sorry. I wish there was a less cliché word for sorry but there just isn't. I'm sorry,' she began to sob.

'It's a bit late for that, don't you think?'

That it's too late to apologize, it's too late  
I said it's too late to apologize, it's too late

'I just don't understand why you would do this to me, Ginny,' Harry sighed. 'We were going to get married in a few days and then you go and do this.' 

'Let me explain. I owe you that much.' Ginny blinked back some more tears. 'I need you Harry. But Dean is so… special to me.' Harry couldn't feel any comfort from these words.

_I'd take another chance, __  
take a fall,  
take a shot for you _

'I did it because I needed you but you were never around.'

'I was right here!'

'No you were always at work and then when you weren't you expected me not to be doing my job. You left me feeling rejected, Harry… and Dean was just there for support.'

'That's a lie and I'm not buying it,' he hissed. 'I always put you ahead of my career and you know it. _You _were the one who worked. Was it even work that you kept telling me you were going to when I kept talking about the wedding plans?'

_And I need __you like a heart needs a beat  
But that's nothing new  
Yeah yeah _

'I love you Ginny. I need to know if you love me or him. Loving both of us isn't right, you have to pick between us.'

A moment's silence went by before Ginny said, 'I'm sorry.' Harry felt his heart plummet further into the pit of his stomach. Those definitely weren't the words he wanted to hear.

I loved you with a fire red,  
now it's turning blue 

'I'm sorry. I'm so sorry, Harry. I never meant for any of this to happen,' she cried.

_And you say  
Sorry like the angel __  
heaven let me think was you  
But I'm afraid _

'You say sorry, but do you really mean it Ginny?' he asked, tears prickling his eyes.

It's too late to apologize, it's too late  
I said it's too late to apologize, it's too late  
Woahooo woah 

Ginny took his hand and turned it so that the palm faced upwards. She slid the engagement ring off her finger and placed it in the middle of his hand before closing it for him. 

It's too late to apologize, it's too late  
I said it's too late to apologize, it's too late 

She reached up and brushed her lips against his once more. By this point, tears were streaming down both of their faces. She gave him a small sad smile before getting up and grabbing her coat.

_I said it's too late to apologize, yeah yeah  
I said it's too late to apologize, a yeah _

The thunder roared outside.

Ginny turned around and her eyes met his again. 'I'm sorry. I know that saying it doesn't make much of a difference to you but I do mean it.' And with that, she left him.

I'm holding on your rope  
Got me ten feet off the ground 

The lights flickered before blowing out completely, leaving Harry alone in the dark.

* * *

**A/N: **_It had to be done…_

_Again, this was a starting point. It was just a random occurrence during the day. So what do you think? _

_I was thinking, if I continue the story that is, that I would use other songs to base my chapters on. That is if this chapter is popular._

_Reviews will be praised, suggestions and inspirations will be read and considered, and flames will be read, laughed at and possibly trashed. Make your pick._

_Will continue if lots of people say so : )_

_Lots of Love,  
__Creative Touch_


	2. Chapter Two

**A/N:**_I didn't really think that I would get such a great response from this story. I have never had so many people review and put it under faves or alerts basing it on one chapter. Thanks a lot everyone... (Panics about having to make sure every chapter is good)_

_Well… one person told me to write each chapter basing it on a song. And I quite like that idea so I am doing it. There might be some chapters that are songless but that's probably because no song suited it. So here goes…_

* * *

**Apologize**

**Chapter Two**

Ron Weasley sat nervously at the table, looking over the candles at his girlfriend, Hermione Granger. His palms were sweating and he kept wiping them on his pant legs underneath the table. She was talking to him but he had no idea what she was saying. He kept nodding and smiling as if he was paying attention, but his mind was going around in circles. What was the reason for this panic? Simple: he was going to propose.

His mouth was dry and he couldn't form any words that would make the smallest sense. Ron's stomach churned at the idea that she would say no. The butterflies that resided inside his stomach were starting to get restless as his fingers fumbled with the small black box in his pocket. The four words were so much harder to say than he thought; even harder than saying "I love you" and meaning it.

'Ron, love. Is something wrong?' Hermione asked, snapping him out of his thoughts. 'You have barely touched your dinner. Are you feeling OK?'

'Y-Yeah. Just not that hungry,' he said. And it was true. The whole idea of proposing had got rid of his normally large appetite.

'Are you feeling ill?' she questioned, getting concerned. 'If you're not feeling well then you should go lie down.'

'No, no. I'm fine 'Mione. I'm not just that hungry today.'

Hermione snorted at the comment. 'You're always hungry, Ron. Seriously, what's wrong?'

'Nothing's wrong, love.'

'Yes there is. You haven't touched your food and you've been awfully quiet all night. What's bothering you?' she frowned. Ron listened intently to the pitter-patter of rain outside, followed by the roar of thunder. If he was going to do this, he preferred not to have his speech drowned out by the loud grumble of the storm outside.

'Actually… there is something.'

'Oh?' she said bemused. Ron got up from the table and strode over to her.

'Hermione… I-' his speech was drowned out. Not by the storm but by a whooshing noise from the fireplace.

_I never knew  
I never knew that everything was falling through  
__that everyone I knew was waiting on a queue  
to turn and run when all I needed was the truth  
_

'Harry!' Hermione gasped as she saw him stumble out of the fireplace. Harry turned towards the voice and blinked a few times.

'This isn't my place,' he stated.

'Of course it isn't…' Hermione pushed a stunned Ron out of the way to greet her friend. Ron cursed under his breath for Harry's existence and followed her. It was when they became closer that they realised something wasn't right. 'Are you drunk?'

'No,' Harry lied.

'You are mate. We can smell it on you,' Ron said, wrinkling his nose at him.

'I'm not…' Harry paused, blinking rapidly again. 'Drunk,' he finished.

'Oh Harry, what have you done to yourself?' Hermione sighed taking his hand, only to have him recoil from her touch.

'The Wedding is _off_!' he shouted, swinging a bottle of firewhisky.

'What do you mean the wedding is off?' Hermione asked, exchanging looks with Ron. Harry burst out laughing, taking another long drink from the bottle.

'Simple as that: The w-wed-wedding is off' he slurred. His eyes turned a torrid green as he pointed a finger at Ron. 'You k-knew, didn't you?' he hiccuped.

'I have no idea what you're talking about, mate.'

'Harry please,' Hermione pleaded. 'What's going on?'

_But that's how it's got to be  
It's coming down to nothing more than apathy  
I'd rather run the other way than stay and see  
The smoke and who's still standing when it clears_

Without warning, Harry through the bottle of firewhisky into the fireplace, which made the flames explode in front of their eyes, and broke down. His knees collided with the floor as he began to let out heavy sobs. Hermione rushed over, trying to soothe Harry as much as she could.

'Gin…' he croaked.

'Oh no… you're not drinking any more,' Ron commented, earning himself a glare from Hermione.

'No…_Ginny_…'

'Did you and Ginny have a row?' Hermione said coaxingly. 'That doesn't mean that the wedding's off. You can still make up before the wedding.'

'No… it's off…' Harry reached down into his pockets and pulled out something. Hermione gasped as she realized what it was: a ring. Ginny's engagement ring.

'Oh Harry,' she murmured.

_Everyone knows I'm in  
Over my head  
Over my head  
With eight seconds left in overtime  
She's on your mind  
She's on your mind  
_

'She cheated on me,' he mumbled through his tears.

'Oh my… Harry, I'm sorry,' Hermione wrapped her arms around him, comforting him as best as she could.

'That's what she said,' he whispered before letting off a fresh batch of tears. Hermione held Harry close to her in a motherly fashion, letting him cry. She whispered words of comfort as she gently rocked him as if she were trying to calm down a child. Harry had a lot of burdens in his life and rejection and neglect were some things he was definitely familiar with. But he thought he had escaped that… they all did._  
_

_Let's rearrange  
I wish you were a stranger I could disengage  
Just say that we agree and then never change  
Soften a bit until we all just get along  
_

'You knew,' Harry growled pointing his finger at Ron again. 'I know you did.'

'Mate, I didn't. Honest,' Ron reassured his friend but was unsuccessful. Harry had a murderous look in his eye and Ron was pretty sure that he would lash out at him any moment.

'Ron?' Hermione interjected. 'Could you go make some tea?' she gave him a desperate look that read "go before he does something drastic". Ron gave her a nod and disappeared into the kitchen, still cursing at Harry for ruining his night.

'He did know,' Harry hissed through gritted teeth. 'He told me to go surprise her for lunch. He told me to go over the wedding plans with her. He intended on me for walking in on them. He meant for me to see them together.'

'I'm sure he didn't, Harry. I'm sure Ron meant well and that he didn't know about them,' Hermione soothed, only knowing who half of "them" were.

'Says you'

'C'mon… let's go get a room ready for you,' she said, helping Harry up from the floor.

_But that's disregard  
Find another friend and you discard  
__as you lose the argument in a cable car  
Hanging above as the canyon comes between  
_

Ron returned with the tea that Hermione had requested to see them getting up from the positions he had left them in. 'What's going on?' he questioned his girlfriend.

'Nothing,' Hermione said trying to keep Harry from falling. 'I'm going to get the guest room ready for Harry-'

'No,' Harry yelled, moving away from Hermione.

'Harry, please. Be reasonable. You can't go home like this. Just stay the night,' she coaxed. Harry started to sway from the large amount of alcohol he had consumed that night. He wasn't on his feet much longer and he fell back down, unable to keep control of his focus. Hermione moved closer to Ron as Harry continued to attempt to get up and stay standing. 'He's a complete mess.'

'Do you really think it's the best idea for him to stay?' Ron asked, really wishing that tonight hadn't been the night that Harry and Ginny broke up.

'I really do. Oh, I know it was just supposed to be the two of us tonight but we can't leave him like this,' she whispered as Harry collapsed on the floor again.

'Fine,' Ron gave in. His perfect evening was completely ruined. 'I'll go set up the guest room.'

'No, I got it.' Hermione timidly moved closer towards Harry.

_  
Everyone knows I'm in  
Over my head  
Over my head  
With eight seconds left in overtime  
She's on your mind  
She's on your mind  
_

Unable to keep Harry standing on his own or with her underneath his arm, Hermione took out her wand and whispered '_Locomotor Harry_'. Harry rose from the air like a puppet and was slurring speech. Hermione gave Ron a quick peck on the cheek before retiring upstairs to look after Harry.

Ron was furious with Harry. And Ginny as well, he guessed. Why did they have to break up and ruin _his_ night? Everything was going so well until Harry stumbled through and wrecked his two week planning. He angrily slammed the silver tray with the teas onto the table and strangled a cry. Why did everything have to happen to him?

Hermione came back down, not too long later. She was worried about how stressed her boyfriend was looking and even more worried about her drunken friend upstairs. She gave Ron a light kiss on the lips, hoping that it would make one of them feel better about the situation.

'How is he?' Ron asked half-heartedly.

'He's a complete disaster. I can't believe Ginny had cheated on him and he's really taking it hard,' she sighed. 'Wasn't there something you wanted to tell me?' she murmured, nuzzling her head into his neck.

Ron had, for a moment, forgotten about the ring box that lied within his pocket. _Better now than never_, he thought as his fingers found the box. All the emotions that he was feeling before came back to him in one giant emotional wave. The nervousness, the sweating, the butterflies in his stomach – all of it was reawaken by Hermione's words. Ron gulped down some nausea that was trying to make his way up before clearing his throat.

'Hermione I-' for the second time that night, his words were drowned out by Harry. A horrible retching sound was heard overhead and Hermione looked up at the ceiling before letting out a loud sigh.

'I'll go and check on him,' she said, kissing Ron on the lips and going upstairs. At that moment, thunder roared outside making sure that its existence was not forgotten. Ron slumped into a chair in frustration, wishing that Harry had a severe hangover in the morning as punishment.

_  
Everyone knows I'm in  
Over my head  
Over my head  
With eight seconds left in overtime  
She's on your mind  
She's on your mind_

Hermione found Harry slumped over the toilet, throwing up most of what he had drunk that night. She ran a cloth underneath some water before pressing it against Harry's already sweaty forehead.

'You don't have to do this,' he moaned as another wave of nausea washed over him.

'Yes I do,' she insisted, 'because I care about you, Harry. And nothing is going to change that.'

'Promise?'

'I promise,' she smiled. Harry managed a weak smile back before continuing to vomit. Hermione was just glad that he had made it to the bathroom before emptying out the contents of his stomach.

'How do I know you meant it?' Harry said his voice full of wonder. He leaned back against the wall taking deep breaths.

'What do you mean?'

'That you'll never stop caring about me. I thought Ginny would always be there and always care but I guess that was some illusion,' he murmured, a throbbing headache coming for him.

'We all thought so, Harry,' she muttered. 'But I guess that you will have to trust me on that, OK?'

_And suddenly I become a part of your past  
I'm becoming the part that don't last  
I'm losing you and its effortless  
_

After both were positive that Harry wouldn't be hanging around the bathroom much longer, Hermione helped him back to the guest room where he collapsed on the bed. Harry closed his eyes as his headache grew worse. Hermione, thinking he had fallen asleep, tried to sneak out of the room without disturbing him.

'Why did she do this?' Harry asked as she reached the door. Hermione froze and turned around to see that he still had not opened his eyes.

'I don't know why Harry,' she replied.

'Yes you do. You know everything,' he grinned, opening his eyes.

'I guess I don't. I don't know why someone would do this to another person. I guess that's just the way life is,' Hermione shrugged.

Harry frowned and after a moment's hesitation he spoke, 'I hate my life.'

_Without a sound we lose sight of the ground  
__in the throw around  
Never thought that you wanted to bring it down  
I won't let it go down till we torch it ourselves_

'Harry, you mustn't hate life. You cannot give up on it or anything else.' Hermione walked over and sat on the bed, watching him with cautious eyes.

'Why not? Giving up is easy enough to do. If more people gave up there would be less wars,' he responded.

'If more people gave up then life wouldn't be worth living. People wouldn't do anything because they simply gave up,' Hermione argued. 'You never gave up when it came to finding out the truth before… why stop now?'

'Because Ginny doesn't love me any more,' he mumbled under his breath but Hermione caught the words.

'Did she really say that?'

'No. But she loves Dean enough to leave me for him. If she really loved me, she wouldn't have chosen him...' Harry let out a cry of frustration. 'Why can't I stop thinking about her? About them?'

'Because_you_ still love her, Harry.'

'I am absolutely mental to still be in love with her after what she did,' he sighed. 'How can I still be in love? There I was, surprising her for lunch and yet it was me who got the surprise: her and Dean almost ready to make love in her office. And then when I confronted her about it, again I got the surprise: she rather be with him then with me.' Harry grabbed a pillow and threw it at the wall. 'Everything I did, everything I said – wasn't it good enough?'

'I'm sure it was Harry…'

'Then why did she leave me?' Tears began to burn his eyes again.

'Harry – I really don't know.' Hermione was trying her best not to cry at the misfortunate in front of her. 'Look, when you're up to it… go talk to her. Just… get some sleep first. I think that's enough drama for one day.'

'Like I can even sleep when she's on my mind,' Harry mumbled.

'At least try,' she gave him a kiss on his cheek, wrinkling her nose at the smell of vomit and liquor on his breath. Hermione left the room and said, 'G'night Harry' before closing the door and going back to Ron.

_And everyone knows I'm in  
Over my head  
Over my head  
With eight seconds left in overtime  
She's on your mind  
She's on your mind_

Ginny, Ginny, Ginny…

Why him? Why her? Why anything?

Why did it have to be this way? Harry loved her so much, more than he could actually bear. Why did this have to happen? Why did he have to know? Why couldn't his life just be a whole lot simpler?

_Everyone knows  
She's on your mind  
Everyone knows I'm in over my head  
I'm in over my head  
I'm in over..._

What had happened to his perfect life? Sure it wasn't always from the start, but he had good friends, good health, good family and an amazing girlfriend. And all that was taken away from him in a blink of an eye. Harry groaned at the thought that Ginny could very well be back at Dean's house, doing god knows what.

He was supposed to get married. In three days. And now he would have to go tell everyone that the wedding was cancelled. Why hadn't she told him? Could he have done anything to prevent this from happening? What did Dean have that Harry didn't? Wasn't saving the wizarding world good enough for her?

His eyes were starting to get heavy with the thoughts. All he wanted was to escape all this abandonment and he was sure that this time that he had left it for good. Oh how wrong he was.

_Everyone knows I'm in  
Over my head  
Over my head  
With eight seconds left in overtime  
She's on your mind  
She's on your mind_

Harry fell into a deep sleep, with Ginny in a white dress drifting in and out of his dreams.

**A/N:**_Sad… I think I'm gonna cry…_

_Oh btw, the song for this chapter is: _**OVER MY HEAD --- by the Fray**

_Is it suitable? I picked it out before writing this chapter though. Oh well… it was a nice long chapter anyways. Don't expect too many of them!_

_Reviews are loved and cherished._

_Lots of Luv,  
Creative Touch_


End file.
